Steven Lawyer, an Iowa resident, built a miniature submarine called the “Bebosphere” for his six-year-old green parakeet, Bebe. The custom diving capsule, constructed from a food container, a 3,000 psi paintball air cylinder, safety valves, lead weights, and an oxygen monitor, allowed the six-inch bird to explore three feet beneath the surface in the Bahamas.
When engineering meets avian husbandry, the results tend to catch the internet off guard. That intersection materialized on social media as a video of a small green parrot peering through a transparent diving capsule made local headlines and rapidly went viral across platforms. The mastermind behind the contraption is Steven Lawyer, a pet owner who wanted his animal companion to join him during an excursion in the Bahamas.
Engineering the Bebosphere: Pneumatics and Buoyancy
Building a life-support capsule for a six-inch animal requires strict pressure and oxygen management. Lawyer engineered the “Bebosphere” using a clear food container outfitted with two air fittings and a one-way valve. Breathing gas was supplied via a 3,000 psi paintball cylinder strapped to the bottom of the hull. To keep the capsule upright and stable, Lawyer attached lead weights to fine-tune the buoyancy of the rig.
Pneumatic safety was a primary design requirement. The system relied on an integrated oxygen meter to continuously monitor internal atmospheric conditions. Before taking the capsule out to sea, Lawyer tested the apparatus in a controlled environment at home.
Safety Protocols and Environmental Risk Mitigation
Deploying a custom-built life-support system in an open marine environment introduces variables that standard pet owners rarely navigate. However, the dive site was selected with risk minimization in mind. Lawyer conducted the experiment in a sheltered harbor in the Bahamas where water conditions are well understood. “The coral where we snorkeled is in a sheltered harbor that we know well with no rip currents,” Lawyer told WBNS. “So we knew there was no risk of him getting whisked away.”
The dive reached a depth of approximately three feet beneath the surface, offering the parakeet an uninhibited view of local coral reefs—an environment entirely foreign to a species comprising roughly 115 seed-eating parrot varieties. According to Lawyer, the bird showed no signs of panic. “I know my bird, I know what he looks like when he’s nervous,” Lawyer stated to WBNS. “He’s intrigued in that video. He voluntarily went into the tube.”
An Extensively Traveled Avian Companion
Submersible exploration is only the latest entry in Bebe’s unconventional travel log. The six-year-old parakeet has a history of joining its owner on high-adrenaline excursions. Bebe has accompanied Lawyer on 15 different skydives, securely sealed inside a transparent bubble attached to Lawyer’s chest during freefall.
Beyond skydiving and snorkeling, the bird participates in long-distance cycling events. Lawyer noted that Bebe joins him on an annual, week-long bicycle ride spanning 500 miles with 20,000 other participants, where the animal has attained minor celebrity status.
Public Reception and Agency Debates
While the video amassed widespread attention online, the stunt also sparked public discussion regarding animal agency and the line between pet enrichment and human novelty projects. During an episode of The Late Show, host Stephen Colbert offered a skeptical take on the viral footage. “It’s adorable, but I think we’re using the words ‘exploring’ and ‘submarine’ very generously here,” Colbert joked, referencing headlines about the dive. “That headline could also read ‘confused bird trapped in Nalgene bottle would like this to be over.’”
Despite external commentary on the parakeet’s operational autonomy, the engineering specifics of the Bebosphere demonstrate a calculated approach to portable life support. Whether viewed as an innovative triumph of DIY engineering or an eccentric aquatic outing, the experiment safely brought an avian observer into a completely novel marine ecosystem.
